The present invention is directed toward wireless communication devices, and more particularly toward wireless communication devices intended to transmit and receive signals in different modes operating in different bandwidths, such as cellular and satellite communications.
Wireless communication devices such as cellular and satellite telephones communicate via radio signals. In order to properly receive and transmit signals in a particular system of communication (e.g., cellular or satellite), it is necessary to have an appropriate antenna which is tuned to work with the frequencies/wavelengths in the bandwidth of the system with which the device is designed to be used. With devices intended to be used with satellite systems, the size of the antenna required on the portable handsets in the system can be fairly large (e.g., Cuban-cigar like). Such an antenna can be particularly detrimental for portable handsets given its size and weight. Wireless communication device users are more and more coming to expect to be able to unobtrusively slip the handsets into their pockets (as is today common for cellular telephones), and the inability to do so with satellite communication devices which require such large antennas has, along with other factors, significantly obstructed the market acceptance of such devices. Dual mode devices, which may be operated with both cellular and satellite systems, face similar problems, as they also require one or more antennas tuned to operate properly with both systems, including a large antenna for receiving signals in the satellite system bandwidth.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
In one aspect of the invention, a mobile communication device is provided, including a portable handset including a transceiver adapted for selective communication in first and second wireless modes. The handset includes a first antenna adapted to receive and transmit wireless signals having a wavelength in a first range, a connector, and a switch adapted to selectively connect either the first antenna or the connector to the transceiver. A second antenna is also provided and adapted for selective connection to the connector of the portable handset. The second antenna is adapted to receive and transmit signals having a wavelength in a second range, the second range being wavelengths different than the wavelengths in the first range.
In one form of this aspect of the invention, the second antenna includes a pocket clip whereby the mobile communication device user may securely carry the second antenna in a user""s pocket when the second antenna is not connected to the portable handset connector.
In another form, the connector includes electrical contacts on the portable handset adapted to connect the second antenna to the transceiver when the second antenna is connected to the handset connector.
In still another form, a cavity is provided in the second antenna and adapted to receive the first antenna, the first antenna being frictionally secured to the second antenna when received in the second antenna cavity. In a related form, the second antenna cavity has at least a portion smaller than the first antenna, wherein at least one of the second antenna cavity and the first antenna is elastically deformable.
In yet another preferred form, the first antenna is tuned to receive and transmit signals in the first range and is further adapted to receive and transmit a broad band of signals including signals in the second range.
In other preferred forms, a plunger is adapted to engage the switch to disconnect the first antenna from the transceiver and connect the second antenna to the transceiver when the second antenna is secured to the portable handset connector, and the connector comprises axially spaced joining members. A preferred form is also used with cellular signals having wavelengths in the first range and satellite signals having wavelengths in the second range, with a mode switch provided for selectively switching the transceiver between cellular and satellite modes.
In still another preferred form, the second antenna includes first and second portions, with the first portion adapted for selective connection to the connector of the portable handset, the first portion including a member adapted to connect to the switch when the second antenna is connected to the connector, and the second portion including antenna radiating elements. A pivotable connection is provided between the first and second portions, with the pivotable connection adapted to allow the second portion to be positionally adjusted relative to the first portion. In further preferred forms, a coaxial cable extends from the first portion member to the antenna radiating elements, the coaxial cable connecting the antenna radiating elements to the switch when the second antenna is connected to the connector, and the first and second portions are substantially longitudinal with the pivotal connection connecting the first and second portions substantially end to end whereby the positional adjustment is pivoting of one second antenna portion relative to the other second antenna portion about an axis substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of both the second antenna first and second portions.
In another aspect of the present invention, a mobile phone is provided including a handset including a transceiver adapted for selective communication in cellular and satellite modes. The handset includes a cellular antenna adapted to receive and transmit cellular wavelength signals, a connector for a satellite antenna, and a switch adapted to selectively connect either the cellular antenna or the connector to the transceiver. A satellite antenna is also provided and adapted for selective connection to the connector of the mobile phone handset, the satellite antenna adapted to receive and transmit satellite wavelength signals.
Preferred forms of this aspect of the invention include the above described preferred forms of the first described aspect of the invention as used in cellular and satellite systems.
Another preferred form of this aspect of the present invention is that the cellular antenna is further adapted to receive satellite page signals.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a mobile communication device is provided, including the steps of (1) receiving and transmitting cellular telephone signals and control satellite signals with a first antenna connected to a transceiver of the mobile communication device, (2) selectively connecting a second antenna to the transceiver when choosing to receive and transmit traffic channel satellite signals, the connecting step automatically disconnecting the first antenna from the transceiver, whereby the first antenna is tuned to cellular and satellite telephone signal wavelengths and the second antenna is tuned to satellite signal wavelengths.